Rule.



No. 636,972. Patented Nov. I4, I899.

.J. H. FRANKLIN.

RULE.

(Application filed Mar. 14, 1899.)

-(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. FRANKLIN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

RULE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 636,972, datedNovember 14, 1899.

Application filed March 14:, 1899. Serial No. 709,028. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. FRANKLIN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county of San Francisco, State of California,have invented an Improvement in Rules; and I hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in carpenters measuring-rules.

It consists, essentially, in the application of a marking device to theend of the rule, so that when measuring lengths in which the rule isrepeatedly moved the end of each measurement is marked without the useof any supplemental marker.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the end ofa rule. Fig. 2 shows the rule folded up.

A is the end of a rule of the usual kind used by carpenters. WVhen suchrules are used for measuring lengths greater than the length of therule, it is necessary to make a mark of some description at the end ofthe rule at each time when it is applied, this mark serving as a pointfrom which the next measurement is commenced, and so on until thedistance is accomplished. This makes it necessary ordinarily to use apencil, which is never accurate, because the mark is made a littledistance beyond the end of the rule, or a knifelolade or other similardevice, which is inconvenient. In my invention I channel the top and endof the rule, as shown at B, and in this channel is fitted a spring-stripC. The end which extends along the side of the rule is secured by ascrew or other fastening, as shown at D, and the endwhich is bent atright angles therewith fits in a corresponding channel made in the endof the rule, so that the spring-arm at this point lies exactly fiush andeven with the end of the rule. The

lower end of this spring-arm is beveled and sharpened, as shown at c,and when the rule is open it normally projects a little below the lowerside of the rule, so that when the rule is placed upon a surface for thepurpose of measuring when this end is pressed down this sharp edge 0makes a little mark exactly in line with the end of the rule, and thismark serves as the commencement for the next application of the rule,and so on for as many repetitions of the length of the rule as arenecessary. When the rule is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the partsclosing against each other, this point or edge will rest against theopposing part of the rule and will not catch in the clothing or anythingelse.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a rule, of an elastic plate fixed at one end tosaid rule and having its opposite end bent to lie in the plane of theend of the rule whereby the edge portion serves as a marker for asubsequent measurement.

2. A combination with a folding rule of an elastic plate bent at rightangles having one end fixed to the side of the rule and the otherportion of the angle extending across the end having the edge sharpenedsubstantially as described.

3. A folding measuring-rule having a channel formed in one side near theend, a corresponding channel extending transversely across the end andin line with the firstnamed channel, an elastic strip of steel bent atright angles and fitting in the two channels aforesaid, the end sectionprojecting slightly beyond the lower face of the rule and beingsharpened to form an edge in line with the end of the rule, and a meanswhereby the opposite end is secured in the channel.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN H. FRANKLIN. WVitnesses:

L. SONNTAG, N. FRANKLIN.

